Canada-Dominican Republic relations
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Bilateral relations
The Dominican Republic is an important partner for Canada in the Caribbean, sharing a commitment to democracy and free markets. Canada has significant commercial interests in the country, mostly in the mining, financial and manufacturing sectors, and is one of the largest foreign investors in the Dominican Republic.
The Dominican Republic is the second most popular destination in the Caribbean for Canadians and the fifth most popular destination worldwide.
Political relations
Diplomatic relations between Canada and the Dominican Republic were established in 1954. The two countries have a strong relationship, enabling them to work together in areas such as security, governance, gender equality, and the environment.
Our countries are members of several continental and international organizations and actively participate in multilateral forums such as the United Nations and the Organization of American States.
The two countries are members of the International Organization of La Francophonie, Canada as a full-fledged member, and the Dominican Republic as an observer.
Education
The Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP) offers short-term scholarships to students from Latin America and the Caribbean (including the Dominican Republic) to study in Canada. Since the launch of ELAP in 2009, about 210 Dominican students have been granted scholarships for study and research in Canada.
As of 2023, there are over a thousand Dominican students in Canada on study visas of 6 months or more, with the majority studying at the college level in Ontario.
Trade relations
Canada’s two-way merchandise trade with the Dominican Republic was $691.1 million in 2022. Canadian merchandise exports to the Dominican Republic were valued at $356.5 million in 2022, while imports were valued at $334.6 million. Canada's foreign direct investment in the Dominican Republic is significant, particularly in the areas of mining, finance and manufacturing.
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Development
Canada does not have a development assistance program in the Dominican Republic, but provides assistance and support through multilateral programs and through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, which is directly managed by the Embassy of Canada in Santo Domingo.
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Partnerships and organizations
To develop effective responses to today’s most pressing global challenges, Canada and the Dominican Republic work closely in multilateral fora, such as:
- Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity (APEP)
- La Francophonie
- International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
- International Criminal Court (ICC)
- Open Government Partnership (OGP)
- Organization of American States (OAS)
- Pacific Alliance
- United Nations (UN)
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- World Trade Organization (WTO)
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